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“More Kids in Health Coverage Sounds Nice, May Be Too Taxing”

Today’s title comes courtesy of a 1997 Omaha World-Herald Editorial, when Nebraska was considering expanding Medicaid program through what’s known as CHIP, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, to cover more low-income children.  The federal government had recently passed legislation to give states the option of covering more kids through…...

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A push for prevention

Though millions of dollars have been invested and countless initiatives have been developed to “fix” children and youth in the child welfare system, maybe Desiderius Erasmus said it best and “prevention is better than [a] cure.”  If so, then efforts have been made at the wrong end of the system.…...

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The sequester’s impact in Nebraska, Part 2: Head Start

The first post in this series examined what exactly the sequester is, and a brief introduction to the anticipated impacts on Nebraska’s kids.  The second part of this multi-part series will focus on Head Start and Early Head Start. Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness…...

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April is Financial Literacy Month

How we earn money is an important part of our lives  and many of our financial habits are learned in childhood.   How many of you got an allowance as a kid or worked an after-school job to pay for gas or save for college?  We may learn at a young…...

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Searching for Justice

This past June, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama that the mandatory sentencing of children and youth to life without parole is cruel and unusual punishment, because it ignores the very fact that children are children. Youth are both less culpable for their actions and more…...

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It’s April 15th…do you know where your taxes go?

Today is April 15th, the annual deadline to file income taxes.  In the monotony of tax filing, it’s easy to forget that taxes have a purpose.  In the simplest terms, taxes are the collective investment we make in our community that it would be impossible for an individual to make…...

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By-the-numbers: Juvenile life without parole

Currently in Nebraska, judges are required to sentence youth who commit murder to life without parole, and cannot consider any relating factors such as the child’s age or life circumstances.  LB 44, which advanced to Select File today, would allow judges to consider the child’s circumstances when imposing a sentence.…...

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Ending juvenile life without parole – Support LB 44

All children deserve and need society’s protection to grow into healthy, productive adults. Even children who commit serious crimes are still children. We should respond to youth crime in a thoughtful and effective way that preserves community safety, contributes to Nebraska’s future prosperity, and gives children the protection they need.…...

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Encouraging placement of children with relatives and family friends – Support for LB 265

All children deserve to be raised by responsible adults with whom the child feels a bond.   When children cannot safely remain with their parents, the best choice is usually for them to live with extended family members, family friends, or other trusted adults.   This practice is commonly referred to as…...

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The sequester’s impact in Nebraska

The March 1st deadline for Congress to act to prevent the sequester has come and gone. Over the coming weeks Voices for Children will highlight some of the sequester’s impact on kids in Nebraska. We will begin with a brief overview of what the sequester is and how it is…...

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